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Morbius

Self Replicating Tasks

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I am wondering if anyone else has encountered the problem of self replicating tasks; as in a research task that seems to mysteriously make additional copies of itself. In each case, I type in a single task, only to later find multiple copies of that same tasks in the database in the task list for that person. I find it periodically, usually two or three copies of the same task; the record is nineteen copies of the same task. It is annoying, but aside from having to go the to trouble to delete the excess tasks, there seems to be no adverse effect. I have no idea what causes it, and was wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

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First, which version of TMG are you using? Since posted in this forum I will assume Version 9.05?

 

Second, how are you observing that these are duplicates? You say that you "find multiple copies of that same tasks in the database in the task list for that person." So I assume that you are simply opening the Research Log for a person, possibly by clicking on the "Tasks" Icon in the menu bar? Are you sure they really are duplicates? When you open the Research Log for a person, select each "duplicate" Task in turn. Note at the top right of the Research Log window is a line "Subject:" with some information about how this Task is linked. Are these duplicates all linked to the same Person, Event, Source, and/or Repository? or are they linked, for example, to multiple different Events which would show as different event numbers? Note that copying a Person, Event, Source, or Repository which already has a task linked to it will cause the linked Task to also be copied. So the copied Task would look like a duplicate, since in effect it is, but it is linked to a different event.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

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I think you may have hit upon the answer, but let me fully answer the question, in case; and on the possible of getting research tips from others reading this. With TMG, there is always more to learn. I have TMG v 90.5 Gold edition, and have been using it for about four months. I have been using TMG for quite a while, but I find there is always more to lean, and more efficient ways to do things.

 

I notice the duplicate tasks when I open a person's research log (clicking on the "Tasks" icon in the "Person" view). I also sometimes duplicates when I print a list of tasks to take with me on a research trip. When the appear on the Task List:, they are always exact duplicates; generally two or three, but on one occasion there were a total of twenty. I deal with the situation simply by deleting the excess, always making a copy of the information in the "Comment" box, to be sure I don't lose anything. Except for the small bit of time lost deleting the extras I don't lose anything; I have lost not data. So it is really a minor - but curious - problem.

 

I generally don't get very complicated with tasks. Normally, I only link a research task to a repository or a source; though sometimes tasks are linked to a repository and a source. I don't have any linked to an event. Often there are several tasks, from different people linked to the same repository or source, as I tend to lump tasks for the purpose of generating printable reports for research trips (e.g. all tasks associated with Harvey County, Kansas are generally linked to the Harvey County Historical Society). There are a total of about 600 tasks.

 

Tasks for census information are a good, and probably the most common, example. When I think census information will contain data I am seeking, I add a census task. The title of all census tasks start with the word "Census" followed the census year, state, and county (if known), and sometimes additional information; e.g. such a task would be named "Census: 1850 PA Iowa Co." In the "Keyword" box I list the surname and state, as a minimum (sometimes the word "PRIORITY" for the important ones), for additional sorting. In the "Comment" box I type, as minimum, the names, birth date and birth state (to the extent known), in order to aid the search. I have created a report which searches for tasks with beginning with the word "Census," and use this to generate a report of all census tasks, sorted by year and state. This I take to the library and use to look for that record on Ancestry.com. The system works pretty well, with the occasional hiccup.

 

But, I find it saves time typing by copying similar tasks and sources (this I do a lot), and edit for the different information; e.g. I will copy a task for 1850 census data, in order to make a task for 1860 data; editing the copied tasks for the new search parameters. This avoids retyping all that family information in the "Comment"" field. I do the same with repositories for the same reason; making a copy of a library in Harvey County, Kansas in order to create a repository for a library in Douglass County, Kansas.

 

And this, is what your comments make me think are happening, as I didn't realize that copying a repository with linked tasks also copies the links to the task; thus making a duplicate of the tasks. If I understand your note, that is probably what it happening. I think you have figured it out; thanks.

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